LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Half Past) & Weekend Concert Previews!!

For this last concert weekend of April 2025, things are just busy enough to spill our hard rock weekend concert previews into a second post, so Sunday's Robbie G-headlined rap show (featuring The Apocalypse Afterparty as openers) will be previewed in tomorrow's post. Otherwise, here's what you should know for Saturday (nothing heavier tomorrow, oddly), starting with a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT at a new-ish locale!

Local hard rock quartet Half Past will hit the stage for one night only on SATURDAY NIGHT at... Beck's Bar? Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced via the band's Facebook page yesterday, but there is a good reason for the show to be on late notice, as Beck's only opens its doors tonight! Beck's Bar (named for owner Becky Sawyer) is located at 232 Goulais Avenue beside/below the Polish Canadian Hall, which SMS readers will best know from its run as The Vibe Lounge from 2010-2011 (and previously as the Stir Pub in the mid-2000s). It is neat to see someone give another kick at making this west end venue a thing again, and Becky seems to have big plans in mind for the nightclub! Like at Shooters Downstairs Lounge, bands are only scheduled at Beck's on Saturday nights, with Fridays devoted to DJ nights, though they will also be hosting acoustic matinee performers on Saturdays and Sundays.

Visit Beck's Bar's Facebook page for details on the launch and more particulars about this new-ish local nightclub! Surprisingly, this will be Half Past's first show of 2025, last having played at Soo Blaster in October, so hopefully the guys rock the stage well on SATURDAY in 232 Goulais' return to hosting live rock bands after fourteen years! Enjoy their hard rocking covers on SATURDAY NIGHT at 9:00 PM with a 19+ age limit and no announced cover charge. Visit the above links for more details on the show and Beck's Bar, and for a preview, here's Half Past live!

Next up, here's three more shows on SATURDAY that did have advance notice, and we'll start with that day's matinee gig from local classic/hard rock singer/guitarist Tym Morrison, who will be rocking Misty's Fifties that day! While we're on the subject, it appears that Tym has cancelled his planned May 3rd matinee at The Fraternal Order Of Eagles Club, as per its quiet removal from the batch Facebook event page for his spring shows there. A reason for the cancellation wasn't announced, but he will be back at the Wellington Street West venue for another matinee on May 17th, and if you really can't wait, why not come to Misty's in two days' time? Tym's unplugged rock cover attack will return to Second Line West at least twice more next month, but Saturday's show should deliver the classics and hard rock favourites in the short term! This is a 19+ event with no cover charge and a 4:00 PM matinee start time.

Visit the Misty's show's official Facebook event page for more details, and for a preview, here's a new revision of an old original song for his YouTube channel! Tym had originally posted his song "His Sacrifice" on YouTube back in 2012, but I didn't offer my thoughts then because he was (at the time) working on his still-unreleased second album again. Lyrically about Jesus Christ (Tym's faith has been very important to him since) and featuring another video full of AI and stock footage content, this is a full-on classic metal song with catchy galloping riffs and a quality guitar solo, so fans of Tym's metal originals will be right at home here! Give it a listen below!

Also in early concert action on SATURDAY, let's head to Huck's Pub & Grill in Rudyard, where local hard rock quartet Unfortunate Sun will take the stage for a rare matinee concert of their own! For reasons unknown to me, the former Joe's Bar will be hosting the Fake Chow successors in the 4:00-8:00 PM matinee timeslot, and while a double booking with a separate group on Saturday night would be the most logical explanation, the venue hasn't advertised a nighttime concert then on social media. In any event, this appears to be a one-off matinee booking for Unfortunate Sun, as their Huck's stops in July and November will be in the normal 9:00 PM timeslot. Early or not, Unfortunate Sun should rock the stage with their hard hitting covers, so don't miss out on all of the action in Rudyard! This is a 21+ show with no cover charge. Visit the above links for more details, and here's Unfortunate Sun live!

Finally for this preview post, we'll head back to Sault Ontario for one of the two big concerts with touring acts at Soo Blaster this weekend, as Sudbury-based Def Leppard tribute band Just Leppard will return to town THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! Hair and glam metal fans will have seen this talented tribute thrice here from 2019-2022, but in the interim, the Kuthy brothers instead brought their Rush tribute band Rust here for a gig last year, while a planned double bill between them and Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band Saturday Night Special in 2023 was cancelled outright. While I'm not a massive Def Leppard fan, Just Leppard pay strong homage to their 1980s hits, and if you're one to listen to The Hair Scare on Saturday nights, there's no better show to attend this weekend! This "80's Rock Party" has an 8:00 PM start time, no age limit, and tickets running for $25 at Soo Blaster and at this link (plus processing fees and taxes there).

This show is cheaper than the cancelled 2023 show would have been, though this time, there's only Just Leppard advertised. If you wait to pay admission at the door, the price will jump to $35. Just Leppard's entertaining and faithful take on Def Leppard should get another strong attraction in their fourth Soo date, so see above for more details, and here they are live!

That's all for today, but look for our Robbie G/Apocalypse Afterparty preview and more on the site next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Just Leppard & Generations) Plus More Weekend Concert Previews!!

As promised, let's wrap up this weekend's hard rock concert previews on this Friday evening, along with addressing some new LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS and a new song from one of the bands in question, so here's what you should know to end January 2025!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Generations will return to Jay's Piston Broke Pub for the Family Day long weekend on Friday, February 14th and Saturday, February 15th! Barring an interim announcement, these will be the Jus' Chillin successors' first public shows after taking a near month-long break, and beyond the long weekend appeal, the Friday nighter does fall on Valentine's Day, which they are playing up in their own marketing. Whether you have a special someone or not, Generations' old school range of covers should prove to be a fitting soundtrack in two weeks, so don't miss out at Jay's! No word as of yet if the band (minus Valerie) will return as Thursday jam night hosts that week, but I'll let you know if something is publically said. As usual for the Korah Road nightclub, these are 9:30 PM concerts with 19+ age limits and no announced cover charges. Visit the above links for more details on Generations' next gigs!

Next up, Sudbury-based Def Leppard tribute band Just Leppard will make their long awaited return to Sault Ontario on Saturday, April 26th when they headline at Soo Blaster! Hair metal fans may recall seeing Just Leppard here thrice from 2019-2022, but their planned co-headlining date with Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band Saturday Night Special in November 2023 was cancelled due to "unforeseen circumstances". Rather than bring Just Leppard 3½ hours west last year, the Kuthy brothers instead played a local date under their Rush tribute guise Rust, so if you've missed their melodic and faithful take on Def Leppard's hit catalogue, come down to Soo Blaster to help send the month of April out in style! This "80's rock party" will be all ages and has an 8:00 PM start time, with tickets on sale online at this link for $25 + taxes/processing fees (this is cheaper than the cancelled 2023 show was, though that one would have had two touring bands).

The price will jump to $35 if buying at the door, but you can also buy tickets in advance at the venue. While not my favourite hair/glam metal band, Def Leppard have loads of hits that Just Leppard pay tribute to well, as evidenced by their three prior shows here, and hopefully their return after 2+ years away is a big hit this spring! Visit the official Facebook event page for more details on Just Leppard's local return in three months!

Now let's wrap up this weekend's hard rock concert previews, and we'll start at Reggie's Place, where local southern hard rock trio Bone Yard 225 will return to the stage TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! These will be Greg, Alex, and Warren's first concerts after a three week break, extended thanks to the cancellation of their Sudbury gigs last week due to mandatory electrical upgrades at The Coulson Entertainment Center. Disappointing for them and their fans out east, but hopefully they book makeup dates in Sudbury soon! Tonight's show caps off a busy run of nine shows at Reggie's Place in a two month span, and it will also be their first date since releasing their third studio single "Fuck!" on January 20th, which we'll include as a preview of these shows in a second. Yes, we'll have the "Gypsy Spell" lyric video and their recent interview on The Borderline in an upcoming post, so stay tuned for all of that shortly.

This weekend's Reggie's concerts have 9:30 PM start times, no cover charges, and 19+ age limits, while their infamous "Bone Yard shot" and band merchandise will also be on hand. Visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, here's their brand new song "Fuck!", courtesy of their YouTube channel! The title is well utilized in the choruses on this defiant song, which has more of a country/bluegrass structure that reminds me of something that The Billy Bastards might have put out, but it's still a hard rocker with good guitar heft and a fun solo, and it'll be a sing-along favourite in concerts. Solid enough song for fans of your local 225's southern side, so give it a listen below or on Spotify and Apple Music!

Finally for this weekend's concert previews, former Project 421/Eclipse frontman Curtis McKenzie will headline at The Dive Gastro Pub for another acoustic concert TOMORROW NIGHT! While attendees at the Joy MacMillan tribute concert at The Dive last week saw Curt there solo and with the one-off Din reunion, this will be his first solo headlining date of 2025, so if you've missed his multi-set nights of grunge and hard rock covers in "the naughty corner", then head to the former Low & Slow tomorrow for all of the action! As usual for Curtis' concerts at The Dive, this is a 9:00 PM event with no announced cover charge, and you must be 19 or older to attend. It'll be good to welcome Curt back to "home base" for a few sets of fan favourite hard rock covers, so definitely visit the above links for more details on his solo debut for the year, and here he is live a few years back!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site next month! Thanks everyone!

Concert Cancellations, A Missed Show Apology, HeadFirst Concert Previews, And More!!

Before we begin this weekend's concert previews, just a heads up on a pair of cancelled concerts for this weekend. Firstly, local funk/hard rock cover band The Wyld Stallyns are not playing at Shooters Downstairs Lounge tomorrow, and have been replaced by local country cover band Tex Riviera & The Ride, as per updates to the Facebook event page (it wasn't deleted, it was just completely rebranded for a different group). A reason for The Stallyns' withdrawal was not announced, but hopefully nothing too serious happened, and that we see this talented sextet back soon! As well, the Just Leppard/Saturday Night Special concert at Soo Blaster on Saturday was also quietly cancelled, as per the Facebook event page & the deletion of its EventBrite page. As I recall, "unforeseen circumstances" were cited for the cancellation on the (now deleted) paid Facebook advertising. Shame to see, as Just Leppard went over well in prior local gigs!

Hopefully we'll get our Def Leppard and Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute fix again down the line, but alas, these cancellations wipe out most of this weekend's known hard rock concerts (November is always quiet after Halloween, but not this quiet, pandemic years aside!) Of course, we'll let you know if anything short notice or bypassed comes up.

This is a light concert weekend to be sure, so before getting too far ahead, I wanted to offer my profuse apologies for a concert that we missed covering on the SMS this past Saturday, at The Satisfied Frog in Sault Michigan, a venue that we haven't talked about in ages on here! I was told about it in e-mails by musicians affiliated with the concert, but between the busy Halloween season and personal commitments, it completely slipped through the cracks and I apologize again for that, especially as it was a rare multi-band show with touring acts in Sault Ste. Marie proper! The show featured sets from Grand Rapids/Muskegon hardcore punk band Cell Rush, Grand Rapids experimental/synth solo project Dick Texas, Escanaba indie/minimalist band The Hell Town Trio, Muskegon alt-punk band Ledhead, and a surprise reunion of online page-less local hard rock band The Karstens.

The show was promoted under the name Serious Business, with poster design credited to Lucid Pixels. Once again, I profusely apologize for not covering this show on the SMS, it's certainly not every day when touring bands (plural) play at a local concert, let alone one not affiliated with Kewadin Casino, but hopefully it was a hit and encourages more smaller touring bands to come to Sault Michigan, let alone play at The Satisfied Frog! It still surprises me that they don't really have a social media presence. If The Karstens, Serious Business, or The Satisfied Frog have more public material to announce, I hope to address it on time!

Now let's dive into known and publically advertised hard rock concerts in the Soo area this weekend.... all two of them, as new local classic/hard rock quintet HeadFirst will play their first ever public concerts TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT at Reggie's Place! The new group from ex-Raincourt guitarist Raine Rancourt and ex-Them drummer Anthony Boudreau, HeadFirst will bring their retro inspired brand of rock covers to this downtown staple this weekend, and it will be very interesting to see how things go for this group of talented rising musicians! If you can't make it this weekend, HeadFirst's third announced public gig will be at Toystock on November 26th. These two concerts have 19+ age limits, no cover charges, and 9:00 PM start times. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and for a preview, here's HeadFirst's ...first video of them in action!

That's surprisingly it for verifiable hard rock concerts currently advertised in the Twin Saults, but a familiar local band will actually be hitting the road next weekend for their first ever tour run! Local alternative hard rock quintet Handsome Sandwich will venture beyond the Algoma District for shows in Sudbury and Oshawa next week (each city is linked to the respective Facebook event page), before playing in Ottawa and Cornwall over the January 19th weekend, details forthcoming. The Sudbury show will actually have local relevance beyond the close-ish 4 hour drive to The Townehouse Tavern, as Jesse & Johnny's old Jack Spades bandmate Tiffany Stocco will open for them next Friday with her current punk band The Knuckle City Dusters. Good to see her still rocking out! The Sudbury show is a headlining gig, but the next night's concert at The Atria will be in support of Oshawa metal band Dead Silence.

To promote the upcoming tours, the band (minus the guitarists) appeared in this Facebook video on Monday, and with their song "Shiver" as background noise, the guys promoted the upcoming shows, pointing at the cities' rough locations on a map of the Great Lakes, and noted that official t-shirts & CDs will be on sale. Taylor also noted that they are looking for recommendations of the best sandwich (of course) in each city for them to try. Of course, good luck on the road next weekend, and see above for more details! I can't embed the video here due to Facebook flagging "Shiver" as copyrighted audio. That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's Defunct Local Band Profile next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Just Leppard), Josey Scott's Saliva Concert Updates, And More!!

Got a new news post to check out on this Monday night, which includes updates on a big upcoming concert, a new original song teaser, and leading off, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for this fall, so here's what you should know!

Sudbury-based Def Leppard tribute band Just Leppard will return to Sault Ste. Marie on Saturday, November 11th (yes, Remembrance Day) for a special double header of tribute band action at Soo Blaster! It was around that time last year when Just Leppard made their third local stop (and first at Soo Blaster) for a date with AC/DC tribute The AC/DC Show, but this time, they'll take the stage alongside fellow Sudbury tribute band Saturday Night Special, who pay homage to southern rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd! I'll admit that neither source band is my favourite, but Just Leppard have gotten a solid response in their prior local stops, and Saturday Night Special seem to have the Skynyrd sound down well, so this should cover a wide range of classic rock fans this fall! Advance tickets for this 19+ event (which starts at 8:00 PM) run for $40 at this link, which is up from the $32 advance price last year.

No word on a price hike at the door, but last year's Just Leppard/AC/DC Show concert jumped to $35 if you waited to buy until you got there, so I'd at least prepare for the possibility. This should be a good time for Def Leppard and Lynyrd Skynyrd fans (especially if you happen to be both), so visit the official Facebook event page for details on what to expect!

Next up, here's some updates on the Josey Scott's Saliva-headlined concert at The Machine Shop on Saturday night, starting with a band withdrawal, as Louisville, Kentucky post-grunge quartet Tantric have dropped out of this event, according to promoters Superior Entertainment on the Facebook event page yesterday. This is due to frontman Hugo Ferreira being unable to enter Canada, and while they didn't go into specifics as to why, he has had legal issues in the past that may be a factor, and other rock websites will go into detail on that if you are so inclined. Disappointing to hear, but hopefully Tantric can come back this direction again when able! A replacement band has not been announced, but Superior Entertainment has asked ticket sale host Etix to adjust show prices to the pre-sale discount rate rather than the week-of price of $53.50 (as of this writing, the price has not visibly been lowered). Click here to check on any potential price adjustments, in any event!

In terms of promoting the event, (this version of) Saliva's frontman Josey Scott has made some video appearances to get the word out, including via this brief clip uploaded to Superior Entertainment's Facebook page last week, where he invited fans to "party with us" and "shake the lake" on Saturday night. Not the best audio quality, he didn't mention any of the other bands, and he pronounced "Sault" like "salt", but any direct promotion is cool to see, so check it out above! For longer-form promotion, Josey was interviewed by Ernest Skinner of the local YouTube interview series Border City Rock Talk on Friday, so what comes up here? In the 18 minute interview, Josey talks about why he left the original version of Saliva, ex-Motley Crue singer John Corabi saving him from a bar fight, the passing of his old Saliva bandmate Wayne Swinny earlier this year, how they united musically, new material plans, ...

... working with Nickelback's Chad Kroeger on the "Hero" single, his love of ketchup chips, and more. This was recorded before Tantric dropped out, but neither Ernest nor Josey remembered the local openers' names (Josey did pronounce "Sault" right here though!) Good and laid back interview that will be a good primer for the show on Saturday night, so check it out below, and also give Border City Rock Talk a watch for much more video interviews, if not always with musicians playing locally in the near term!

We'll close today with a new video from local progressive metal duo Convergence's YouTube channel! The first unequivocally new upload there (not counting Kraken Mara-era videos that they left up/rebranded), this was uploaded as a "Shorts" video (a.k.a. YouTube's answer to "reels"), but at least you can embed "Shorts" externally and play them in background tabs! The video features a snippet from a new original song named "Chimera" courtesy of their computer tracking program, and it certainly sounds the part for prog metal fans, but it's worth noting that their Facebook post about the video says that "we're working on another track for our album". Now, their debut EP "One" is on sale on Wix, but are implications correct that "One" is a work in progress that they're going to add to as songs get completed? I can't say for public certainty, but give Convergence's new song snippet a listen below!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for Wednesday concert previews and more tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Soundcheck) & Sault Ontario Weekend Concert Previews!!

Before we begin this weekend's concert previews, just a heads up that it looks like Tym Morrison's previously announced Saturday matinee at Shooters Downstairs Lounge has been cancelled, as per the deletion of its Facebook event page. The venue never confirmed the booking with one of their own, but Tym had been playing their every second week as of late, so no word on why this show is off. Hopefully nothing too serious happened, and that we see Tym back soon! Now, let's dive into this weekend's Sault Ontario-based hard rock concert previews (we'll look at Sault Michigan-area gigs next), and let's start with SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will return to Shooters Downstairs Lounge for one night only THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice,  this show was only announced via the venue's Facebook event page on Sunday, and Soundcheck (one word) have not mentioned it on Facebook at press time. A one nighter due to or resulting in Angry Joe & The Growlers' show there tomorrow night, SATURDAY's concert will be Soundcheck's first at the Dennis Street nightclub in just over a month. In case you missed their Thursday jam night at Jay's, and/or wanna see the full four-piece lineup, be at Shooters on SATURDAY for their classic and hard rock cover selection! As usual for shows there, expect a 19+ age limit, no cover charge, and an 8:00 PM start time. Visit the above links for more details, and here's Soundcheck live at Shooters!

Next up, here's some shows that had lots of advance notice, starting with the return of local southern hard rock quintet Fort Creek to the stage TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT at Jay's Piston Broke Pub! This will mark Fort Creek's return from an almost three months long break from the live stage, last seen at the same venue (then still named Reggie's West) on August 19th, with these shows being announced last month before the name/ownership changes. The band has also announced a major lineup change, as former Sneaky Pete/3 Day Millionaires guitarist Bill Brouillard has joined the group, replacing Matt Sibilo. A reason for Matt's departure was not announced, but Bill was featured in posters for this weekend's gigs from late October onward, and remember that they were on hiatus for almost three months, so it's possible that Matt leaving was a factor. Hopefully things were amicable & that we see him back in another band soon!

Bill's a solid guitarist himself who should fit right in given his local band work in the 2010s, so Fort Creek's southern tinged hard rock covers & originals should continue as normal! Despite the changes at 306 Korah Road, things are familiar this weekend, including 9:30 PM start times, no cover charge, 19+ age limits, and yes, the return of Fort Creek's merchandise giveaways. For a preview, here's a new promotional Facebook video featuring the first 55 seconds of the studio version of "Hammer Down" set to computer graphics and black & white photos of band members. Yes, they are indeed booking for next year too. The "Hammer Down" sample should be reason enough to check this out below!

Also this weekend, fellow local southern hard rock band Bone Yard will be rocking out at Reggie's Place TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT themselves! The second weekend of their six weekend string of steady public gigs in some form or fashion, tomorrow & Saturday's shows will be Greg, Alex, and Warren's first at the Queen Street East nightclub since late September. No major frills to report here, just a solid pair of hard rocking nights from this talented threesome, so don't miss out on all of the action at the only Reggie's (by name) left! This weekend's shows have 9:00 PM start times, no cover charges, and 19+ age limits as usual for non-matinee gigs there. Visit the above links for more details, and here's Bone Yard live at Reggie's!

Finally for today's previews, let's head down the road to Soo Blaster, where Sudbury-based Def Leppard tribute band Just Leppard will return THIS SATURDAY NIGHT alongside the Sault Ste. Marie debut of fellow hard rock tribute band The AC/DC Show! Hair Scare diehards may recall seeing Just Leppard at The Canadian in 2019 and The Rockstar Bar last year, and while I'm not a huge fan of Def Leppard, Just Leppard do a strong job delivering their classic sound and fan favourite hit singles, and their third local stop should deliver the goods! As for The AC/DC Show, we're certainly no strangers to AC/DC tribute bands here, but this isn't a return engagement for Who Made Who, Hells Bells, or any prior tributes we've seen in town. From what I've seen & heard of The AC/DC Show, their skilled brand of high voltage rock n' roll will certainly appeal to Brian-era fans!

Don't miss out on this one, as it's not every day that two different touring tribute bands share a local stage! Tickets for this 19+ event run for $32 in advance or $35 at the door (remember, two tribute bands), and an 8:00 PM is advertised. Buy your tickets online at this link, visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Just Leppard live!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for our Sault Michigan weekend concert previews next, with this month's Defunct Local Band Profile, the conclusion of our Soo's Got Talent coverage, and more ahead! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Killer Dwarfs, Anvil, And Just Leppard), Plus The Opening Act Contest Details!!

With the Rotaryfest weekend concert preview barrage finally over, we can start clearing out our news and video backlog (if slowly), so let's start on the right foot with three LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for big touring bands at the same venue in the coming months! Rounding things out is an admittedly overdue plug for a contest that a few familiar local faces have entered, so here's what you should know!

Toronto metal legends Anvil will return to Soo Blaster for their fifth modern era concert appearance in Sault Ste. Marie on Saturday, August 27th! Fans will have seen the "Metal On Metal" pioneers and documentary stars at different venues in 2012, 2014, and 2015, before rocking Soo Blaster in June 2019, so it'll be great to see Lips, Chris, and Robb play established songs and material from their new CD "Impact Is Imminent" next month! Opening bands have not been announced at press time, but for reference, Jack Spades (now Spades GT) opened for Anvil at their last three local dates, and their current drummer just so happens to be Anvil drummer Robb Reiner's son Tyler. Also, keep in mind that Spades GT will return to town that same weekend for the Northern Vibe Festival in Ophir, so yeah, coincidence or not, the timing is noted! We'll keep you posted when/if opening bands are clarified either way.

Tickets will cost $20 in advance or $25 at the door (which is on par from 2019), and they will be on sale at this link, but at press time, they were not on sale online yet. Yes, I saw the No Hits show coming up this weekend, and I wish the local openers had said something before now, but look for more on that soon. This is a 19+ show, and doors open at 7:00 PM. Should be a good time for fans of old school metal, especially given Anvil's fun nature and influence on bigger bands in their wake, so don't miss out on their latest Soo stop next month, and see above for more details!

Next up, Oshawa hard rock icons The Killer Dwarfs will return to Soo Blaster themselves on Tuesday, September 13th! Announced just last week via this image (the show has since been moved a day ahead to accommodate a White River booking the previous night), this will be The Dwarfs' first local appearance since headlining at Soo Blaster in April 2019, a show that got a great reception at the time for their fun-loving old school sound, built on hits like "Dirty Weapons" and "Keep the Spirit Alive", and it'll be great to see them back in town this fall after three+ years! No word on a possible opening band yet, but note that the now-defunct Re:Born opened the 2019 show. Like then, this concert is presented by Ernest Skinner of Border City Rock Talk, so you might see some advance interviews with the band there in due course, knowing the big gets he often talks to there (he even interviewed Randy Rhoads' siblings in his newest video!)

This stop on The Killer Dwarfs' 40 Years Still Standing Tall Tour has a 19+ age limit, and doors open at 7:00 PM. Tickets currently cost $22.23 at this link, with a $319 VIP package also available, but note that the above-linked image for the old September 12th date lists a presumably in-person-only advance fee of $19.50 that jumps to $30 on September 1st. There is no such advertised price jump on that date on Eventbrite, so keep that in mind just in case. More good times ahead for classic metal fans in the Soo, so see above for more details, but that's not quite all!

There's more hard rock tribute action hitting Soo Blaster this fall, as Sudbury-based Def Leppard tribute band Just Leppard will return to town on Saturday, November 12th, but this time, they aren't coming alone, as The AC/DC Show will also be joining them in their own local debut! Both are relatively new tribute bands, though Just Leppard have played here at The Canadian and The Rockstar Bar in 2019 & last year, and their faithful take on Def Leppard's hair metal classics should find an audience once again! Guitarist Gino del Sole is in both bands, and while Sault Ste. Marie is no stranger to AC/DC tributes (Who Made Who and Hells Bells have each played here multiple times in the last 15 years), The AC/DC Show deliver a similarly fitting version of their high voltage rock 'n roll, so don't bypass either band if you're fans of the real thing! Not every day that two tribute bands play the same show here, after all.

Tickets for this 19+, 7:00 PM show are not on sale yet, but head to this link for updates on that front, and also keep tabs on the Facebook event page. Note that both of Just Leppard's prior local dates had $15 advance tickets and a $20 door charge, but neither of those had a second band, so it could well be higher. This should be a fun time for 1980s hard rock fans, and it'll be interesting to compare and contrast The AC/DC Show from prior AC/DC tributes that have played here, so stay tuned for updates! 

To close today's post, let's finally address something that fans of these two bands have been getting steady reminders about as of late, as local party metal duo The Apocalypse Afterparty and punk/alternative quintet These Magnificent Tentacles have both entered The Opening Act, an Audacy-hosted contest to find a band to open at the ninth annual We Can Survive, a massive charity concert at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California for suicide prevention causes this fall. Given the distance and the lack of a sonic link to either band for genres (none of the 2021 We Can Survive acts would normally be covered on the SMS), this seems like a long shot, but as a wise woman once said, "Shoot your shot!" Both bands, along with local indie/pop rock musician Jesse Merineau, have entered The Opening Act, and while I don't know how Audacy is separating the acts by "group", Jesse is currently second place in his group!

The Afterparty are sixth in their group at press time, and the Tentacles are thirteenth in theirs. The winner of The Opening Act also gets $10,000 USD, so stakes are high, and you can cast daily votes (with verification) via the band names linked above, or cast "Together Votes" by donating to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (each $1 donated = a vote). SooToday's Chris Belsito covered the contest (sans The A.A.) at this link, featuring remarks from Jesse and Tentacles guitarist Steve Edwards about why they entered and their recent activity, so don't bypass it either! Vote if you can for all three, and we'll see what happens, as only the top 20 bands advance when this round closes on Thursday!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for a couple of mid-week concert previews and new videos on the site tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Handsome Sandwich, Soundcheck, And Tym Morrison) & Weekend Concert Previews!!

Let's dive into weekend concert previews on this Friday night, and intermingled, we are just in time to cover some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS here, some on SHORT NOTICE, with one also having apologies for recently missed shows of theirs. Here's what you should know!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will return to The Esquire Club for the first time since before the pandemic for concerts TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT, after previously playing at Reggie's West in shows this past Friday & Saturday that we regrettably missed for coverage on here! I profusely apologize for the short notice on TONIGHT & TOMORROW'S concerts (they were only announced on Sunday) and for missing last week's shows entirely, which were only announced on less than 6 hours notice for show #1 on Friday the 29th. Luckily for fans, while still short notice, this weekend's shows broke the band's recent streak of only announcing concerts on the Friday of, possibly because Soundcheck are reportedly the first live band to play at The Esquire Club since March 2020, if the shows' Facebook event page is anything to go by, so look for classic & hard rock hits in the west end!

TONIGHT & TOMORROW'S shows have 9:30 PM start times, no announced cover charges, 19+ age limits, and mandatory vaccine passport requirements upon entry, and if you do come out, please use common sense and follow any and all posted health guidelines at the Second Line West venue. Similar ground rules would have been in effect over Halloween weekend at the Reggievelt, of course. Visit the above links for more details, here's Soundcheck live, and I apologize again for missing last week's shows on here, I'd have covered them had they had even a day's notice!

Next up, local hard rock singer/guitarist Tym Morrison will return to Reggie's Place for a matinee acoustic concert THIS SUNDAY! Again, apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced via it's official Facebook event page on Tuesday. After a quiet month for public concert dates (private bookings aside), this will be Tym's first show since playing at The New A on October 8th, with his last downtown Reggie's appearance being on October 3rd. If you like Tym's unplugged vocal/guitar sets and his vast setlist, you should find a lot to like on SUNDAY, so consider a trip there for some entertaining live classic and hard rock covers! As usual for his Reggie's matinees, this is a 3:00 PM event with a presumed 19+ age limit and no cover charge, while vaccine passports must be shown to enter the venue, and of course, please respect any and all public health guidelines. See above for more details, and here's Tym live!

Next up, local alternative/hard rock quartet Handsome Sandwich will play their second public concert of the year (and first as headliners) when they return to The Rockstar Bar on Saturday, November 20th! Announced in a post on their Facebook page last month, this will be this eclectic genre-hating group's first date in Sault Ste. Marie city limits with their current lineup (they were last seen in the Soo proper back in February 2020 before their hiatus & expansion), and it follows their return date at The Northern Vibe Festival in Ophir, plus a cancelled Northern Superior Brewing gig in September. This could be the first chance that a lot of you guys have to see the new look Handsome Sandwich, complete with their new original material for their upcoming debut album, so consider taking a trip to see them in just over two weeks! A 9:30 PM start time is in effect for this 19+ show with no cover.

Again, attendees must show vaccine passports upon entry at The Algonquin Hotel's upstairs nightclub for this show, and if you do come out, please respect the venue's public health measures to keep yourself and everyone else healthy and safe. Visit the above links for more details!

Finally, we'll close today's post by returning to weekend concert previews via a show that actually had substantial advance notice, as Sudbury-based Def Leppard tribute band Just Leppard will rock the aforementioned Rockstar Bar TOMORROW NIGHT! As far as I know, this is the first show from a touring headliner that The Rockstar Bar has put on since before the pandemic, and the band in question is not new to the Soo, as Just Leppard played at the former Canadian Nightclub back in November 2019, just months after their public launch. With almost two years to refine their sound, Just Leppard should deliver an old school blast of glam metal for fans tomorrow night, so if you're up for some Hair Scare-approved music in person rather than on the radio, keep this one in mind! I'm not a huge Def Leppard fan, but Just Leppard do have their sound down pretty well!

Tickets are $15 in advance (at The Algonquin Hotel's front desk) or $20 at the door, though limited tickets in general are available, possibly due to pandemic-related capacity restrictions. A 19+ age limit is in effect, as is a 9:00 PM start time, and of course, vaccine passports must be shown upon entry, and please follow and respect the venue's public health measures to ensure that everyone has a safe time, especially given that this show features a touring band. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Just Leppard live!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site this weekend! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Just Leppard & Tym Morrison), A New Single Release, And More!!

Before we begin this post, I want to apologize again for missing a recent Soundcheck concert, as the classic/hard rock cover quartet returned to Reggie's West for an apparent one-nighter this past Friday. This show was only announced at 2:03 PM the day of the show, and they have not announced a non-open mic night on more than 12 hours notice since August. I profusely apologize, but with such short notice combined with out general slowdown of news stories lately, this doesn't bode well for our chances of catching them in time. Hopefully last weekend was a hit, and I will double check Soundcheck's Facebook page tomorrow for obvious reasons!

Now, let's get to some recent news, a video, and some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, starting with one on SHORT NOTICE, as prolific local hard rock musician Tym Morrison will play a rare concert at The New American Pub TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, Tym only announced this show via its Facebook event page on Monday. As best as I can tell, this is the first public concert on record (at least with Facebook promotion) that Tym has played at the 602 Bay Street venue, and it's the first New A show we've covered on the site since Fluid 5ive played there in December 2019 (you can guess why it's taken this long). The New American has sporadically been hosting live music during the pandemic, most recently bringing back classic rock cover acts in September after last pausing that schedule during the April lockdown, and it's good to see that Tym's extensive and often heavy setlist will find its way there TOMORROW!

This one-night-only concert has a special 6:00 PM start time, 19+ age limit, and no cover charge. Vaccine passports must be shown upon entry as per Ontario public health guidelines, while as usual, please follow the venue's public safety measures to ensure that everyone has a safe time. Visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, here's Tym's newest original song, as uploaded to his YouTube channel on Saturday! An instrumental entitled "In All God's Glory", the song is set to assorted clips and stock footage of a religious or ethereal nature, but the song is definitely an upbeat metal track complete with a killer shredding solo. Nicely done composition for long-time fans, so give it a listen below!

Next up, Sudbury-based Def Leppard tribute band Just Leppard will return to Sault Ste. Marie for a concert on Saturday, November 6th at The Rockstar Bar! This show comes almost two years after Just Leppard made their local debut at the former Canadian Nightclub, and I believe this will mark the first show from any touring band at The Rockstar Bar since before the pandemic began. Just Leppard had only played their first ever live concert three months before the November 2019 show here, and even then, they had a strong handle on Def Leppard's classic singles, so with two years to hone their craft (pandemic acknowledged), they should deliver even more for hair metal fans next month! This 19+ concert has tickets running for $15 in advance (buy them at The Algonquin Hotel's front desk) or $20 at the door. Admission is limited due to social distancing measures at the venue.

Vaccine passports must be shown to enter The Rockstar Bar for this event, and while this will be taking place after the reported introduction of QR codes as an alternative to the existing passport forms, I don't know how that will work in regards to this venue and concert. In any event, please follow any and all social distancing and public health measures to ensure that everyone has a safe time and that The Rockstar Bar might bring more touring bands here short-term. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details!

Also, here's the latest from local industrial metal solo project Molten Imp, who do have some new material to check out on their Bandcamp page! If you recall Boyd's teaser/admission about wanting to cover Deep Purple's "Space Truckin'" but waffling on finishing it after discovering that Ministry already covered it, then I have good news, as Boyd did release it after all! Featuring guest vocals by Swampgut's Frank McCormick, this cover is over eleven minutes long, and it's definitely distinct from Ministry's version. I don't find that Frank's vocals suit music this tech-heavy, but it's a unique take with a nice long stretch of noise rock between key verses, so give it a listen above to see what you think! Afterwards, Molten Imp starting hyping up the release of their second virtual single "Constable Sewage", which was successfully released on Sunday, so what should you know there?

Featuring two (kinda three) songs running for an equal length, you can buy "Constable Sewage" above for $5 or stream it for free. It's great to see that Molten Imp finally have their teased follow-up single out, but might it be our next CD review on the SMS? Stay tuned in any event, and check out all of Boyd's new musical exploits above, and/or via their new Twitter page!

Finally, here's a new video from August's Goo Goo Dolls/Cheap Trick concert outside of the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino! This was uploaded by the YouTube channel of Audio Allegro, a Traverse City, Michigan-based music review website that frequently posts videos to their TikTok page, often from major Lower Peninsula concerts. The video was first posted on TikTok shortly after the concert took place, but Audio Allegro only posted it to YouTube on September 17th, hence why we didn't discuss it when the show was timely. TikTok recently increased it's maximum video length to 3 minutes, and this one is just over 2 minutes, but what is there to see? After the channel owner introduces what show he's seeing, we get brief clips of him driving across the Mackinac Bridge and a POV angle of him walking to his seat before the concert began. Cheap Trick are only featured via 13 seconds of them playing "The Flame" & "Surrender".

Naturally, The Goo Goo Dolls get the rest of the video's runtime, given that they were the headliners, and you get a lot of clips of familiar songs like "Slide" & "Iris" over the last 90 seconds or so. It's a short video in vertical portrait orientation, but Audio Allegro's footage was of solid quality, and it was interesting seeing the seating layout before the bands began! I'd have included more of Cheap Trick, but give the whole thing a quick watch below!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site in the days ahead! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Tripod The Dog & Fluid 5ive) And More Weekend Concert Previews!!

As promised, let's wrap up this weekend's hard rock and punk concert previews today, but to round things out, we have LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS to touch on, one on SHORT NOTICE, so let's start there!

Local classic/hard rock cover quintet Fluid 5ive will reportedly return to The New American Pub for one night only TONIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced via this poster on the venue's Facebook page yesterday, and the band proper has not updated their Facebook page in almost two months. Despite their recent quiet nature on social media, Fluid 5ive have a busy month ahead, with TONIGHT'S concert now joining their upcoming Saturday matinee on November 30th, with their Toystock debut sandwiched in between.  This veteran five-piece should have another solid evening of hard and classic rock covers in store for New A fans TONIGHT, so keep this one in mind if you want some live entertainment downtown! This is a one-nighter due to tomorrow's B.A. Johnston/Dany Laj concert, which we previewed on the SMS yesterday. This is an 8:00 PM and 19+ event with no cover charge. See above for more details, and here's Fluid 1ive!



Next up, here's a couple of new shows with lots of advance notice, as reunited local ska-punk/hard rock trio Tripod The Dog will return to The Rockstar Bar for concerts on Friday, December 27th & Saturday, December 28th! It will still be the holiday season for many at this point, so what better way to enjoy some post-Christmas live music action? These will be Tripod The Dog's first announced concerts since rocking The Esquire Club in September, as well as their first at The Rockstar Bar since their initial return gig in April. Note that the Facebook event page says that Tripod The Dog are "back with a new lineup", and while I can't 100% verify the particulars due to their lack of a new updated online page, this seems to just reference the Amendolas' addition to the group earlier this year, who were not visibly advertised for the April concert. We'll let you know if Mark has enlisted new bandmates again, though! As usual for Rockstar Bar shows from local cover acts, expect a 10:00 PM-ish start time, no cover charge, and a 19+ age limit. Visit the above links for more details, with hopefully more to come!

Heading back into this weekend's remaining hard rock/punk concert previews, let's tackle the big one for hardcore punk fans, as Montreal icons The Ripcordz will return to Sault Ste. Marie TOMORROW NIGHT at the aforementioned Rockstar Bar! This will be the first local stop in over two years for Paul Gott and company, following their set at the same venue back in October 2017. Fans of their battle-tested original attack were spoiled from late-year shows annually from 2013-2017, so the anticipation is palpable for The Ripcordz' return tomorrow! Local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades will open tomorrow for their sixth straight time opening for their "Fed Up" split-mates in city limits, and first local set since Oh!No in Leeburn, and they're a fitting choice as usual! Also, two more opening bands were quietly confirmed for this concert last week, namely alt-punk trio A Dire Setback and new online page-less punk quartet The Sick Sons in their second announced concert.

Solid choices, with A.D.S.' profile growing as their album release approaches, while The Sick Sons made a strong impression in their debut at July's Random Killing concert here, so hopefully both deliver tomorrow! Promoted by Jack Spades frontman J.D. Pearce, tickets for this 9:00 PM & 19+ show are $10 in advance through the local openers and at The Algonquin Hotel's front desk, while the price jumps to $15 at the door. Punk fans won't want to miss this hard hitting feast tomorrow night, especially if you've missed The Ripcordz in the last two years, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here they are live the last time out!

Finally for this weekend's previews, let's head to The Canadian Nightclub, where Sudbury-based Def Leppard tribute band Just Leppard will make their local concert debut TOMORROW NIGHT! The latest in The Canadian's recent regular-ish bookings of out of town tribute bands, this is a new one in both concept (I don't recall seeing a Def Leppard tribute come here before) and in the band proper, as Just Leppard only made their live debut in August. I'm admittedly not a fan of Def Leppard, but the promotional video embedded below seems very promising for fans and Hair Scare listeners alike, and hopefully the guys have a great show tomorrow! As is the case with The Canadian's other tribute shows this season, this is a 19+ concert at 9:00 PM with tickets costing $15 in advance at The Canadian Motor Hotel's front desk, and prices jump to $20 at the door. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Just Leppard live this summer!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site in the coming days! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Who Made Who, Just Leppard, Tym Morrison, & Tarnished!!)

A quiet weekend of hard rock concerts is in store for the last weekend before Halloween, so to round out this weekend concert preview post, we have some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS to tackle for next month for you tribute band fans! That said, let's start with the previews, which both have very SHORT NOTICE add-on shows to note on here!

Reports of the end of Tym Morrison's Thomson Farms Cider & Winery run are premature, as the prolific local hard rock singer/guitarist will return to the Third Line West mill's on-site Wine Barn for matinee concerts TONIGHT and next Thursday! Apologies for the short notice on TONIGHT's show, Tym only confirmed that his Thomson Farms arrangement was extended via the new gigs' Facebook event page on Sunday. It looks like Thomson Farms either now close for the season in mid-November, or always did and I didn't know, but either way, Tym didn't advertise these last(?) four gigs until this week. These should be a prime chance to see Tym's unplugged hard rock covers at a familiar local establishment once again, so keep TONIGHT and Halloween's gigs in mind! We'll add his November shows here and at Gliss to our concert listings next week. And yes, Tym will continue his long-term arrangement at Gliss Restaurant on Spring Street TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT as well at his regular place and time!

Fans of Tym's skilled and vast setlist should be in good hands as he rocks Gliss this weekend, so don't miss out either! Also, I apologize for missing a late notice venue change for Tym' show this past Saturday, as his Gliss gig apparently did not take place, so he was able to play at Thomson Farms instead for a rare non-Thursday show there. Hopefully that went over well! TONIGHT'S Thomson Farms show is at 5:00 PM, he's at Gliss at 6:00 PM, and these gigs do not have announced age limits or cover charges. Click here and above for more details, and here's Tym live!



Next up, Sault Michigan hard rock band Tarnished's ongoing "every Thursday" run of matinee gigs at Biggby Coffee will continue TODAY, but that's not all, as they'll be making their Lake Superior State University debut TONIGHT with a full band concert at The Galley in The Cisler Center! Again, apologies for the short notice on the latter event, it was only announced via this Facebook event page on Monday. You don't hear of hard rock bands playing on campus at LSSU very often, let alone in The Galley (a restaurant/lounge), so it will be interesting to hear how this advertised 90 minute set goes TONIGHT! It will also be a chance for fans to see the rarer electric version of Tarnished with drummer Tommy Korcal, which plays less frequently than the 2 man acoustic variant.

These shows do not have advertised cover charges or age limits, with Tarnished's regular unplugged Biggby concert taking place at the new 12:00 PM start time, and their trip to The Galley is at 8:00 PM TONIGHT. Visit the above links for more details, and here's Tarnished live!



Also, here's some more new concert announcements for next month as part of The Canadian Nightclub's wave of live tribute bands this fall, starting with the return of Toronto-based AC/DC tribute band Who Made Who for one night only on Saturday, November 2nd! No, I did not put this concert off on purpose, it really only got two weeks notice online. By far the most familiar AC/DC tribute among local audiences in the 2010s, this will be Who Made Who's first local concert appearance since rocking The Rockstar Bar in April of last year, though they are no strangers to The Canadian, having played there most recently in 2012. It's great to see Who Made Who bring their brand of high voltage rock & roll back to the Soo next month, and hopefully there's a great turnout for their faithful sounding and looking stage show once again! Tickets for this 19+ & 9:00 PM event are $15 in advance at The Canadian Motor Hotel's front desk, or $20 at the door. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details as they roll in!

Finally, the other new tribute band concert at The Canadian Nightclub next month will see Sudbury-based Def Leppard tribute band Just Leppard make their local debut on Saturday, November 9th! Unlike Who Made Who, this band is very new to the live circuit, only having debuted in August, and this is just their second announced concert, if you can believe that. As such, this will be an interesting opportunity to see how Just Leppard compare to the real thing, and luckily, they do have this promotional video if you want to see what they bring to the table. Myself, I'm not a big fan of Def Leppard, but if you're a loyal Hair Scare listener, you'll want to circle this date on your calendar! Identically to Who Made Who's show the previous week (and the CCR tribute concert on November 16th), this is a 19+ concert at 9:00 PM with tickets running for $15 in advance and $20 at the door.) Head to the official Facebook event page for more details!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates in the coming days! Thanks everyone!